Is this really normal?

No. The tests preformed here must not be confused with normal use. They are designed to stress SSDs and simulate a really busy environment.
Normal workstation use would be more like 10-20GB written daily.

Failed SSD = Bad SSD?

Don't worry. All drives tested here are perfectly suited for normal use. No doubt.This SSD test is more about how they fail.We want to see warnings of imminent failure, not just a sudden death.

How About Data Retention?

The term Data Retention refers to how long the data preserved is if the SSD is left unpowered. The plan is to test data retention once a SSD reaches extreme TBW. Please be carefull with your data and with SSDs that have outlived their specifications.

Why Test Smaller SSDs?

They use fewer NAND circuits and will wear out faster. Once we know the write endurance of these units, it'll be easy to estimate the equivalent numbers for the larger units.

The SSD Endurance Test Is an Ongoing Experiment to Find Out Just How Far Todays Consumer Level SSDs Can Be Pushed In Terms of NAND Write Endurance.